China reaffirms commitments to IP law

Special press conference for the release of Report on the Latest Development in IPR Protection and Business Environment in China (photo from Newsgathering Center for Public and Business Information)

Intellectual property law in China has always complied with international standards since it began, and the progress of jurisprudence will provide a healthier environment for both domestic and foreign business, said a senior official Friday.

The Office of National Leading Group for Combating Intellectual Property Rights Infringement and Counterfeiting released a document on Sept 28, chronicling the progress made thus far, including recent negotiation on geographic indications with Europe.
"The promotion of IPR started in China later than many countries, with only 30 years' history, but it has achieved fruitful results," said Chai Haitao, deputy head of the office.

"China has always valued IPR highly, and will apply the same regulations to both domestic and foreign business."
"China has been talking to member countries in BRICS as well as 20 economies from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation on IPR," said Chen Fuli, deputy director-general of the department of treaty and law at the Ministry of Commerce. "China has always been active in conversation with other countries, covering a wide range of topics."

Based on the recently released action plan on IPR for foreign investment, the Chinese government will intensify inspections of IPR violations, especially in the foreign sector, in the next four months.

Gao Feng, spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, said such action is not only a practical measurement echoing the State Council's call for stimulating foreign investment, but also part of China's ceaseless work on IPR.

"To clean up IPR violations is following up on Chinese IPR protection in order to create a fair market environment," Gao said. "It is never a decision to deal only with certain countries responding to the investigation they filed."